Several Groups Gather to Protest Abortion Bill

JEFFERSON CITY - Several Missouri groups and Missourians gathered at the State Capitol steps to protest a bill that would increase the waiting time a woman could get an abortion.

Groups protesting include Planned Parenthood, Women's Voices Raised for Social Justics,Progress Missouri, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Women's Filibuster started Tuesday, May 12 at 2 p.m. It will last 72 hours, the same amount a woman would have to wait for an abortion.

The current law states women wait 24 hours to get an abortion. The new bill would triple that time.

Protesters said they consider the new bill "intrusive" and "invasive"

"It's cruel, and it says a lot about what the people in this building think about women," protester and former Senator Joan Bray said.

Senator David Sater, a sponsor of the bill, said the bill is "for the unborn children that I want to preserve."

Republican Senator Ed Emery agrees.

"I think the 72 hour bill is much more appropriate for a mother to decide what to do with the life of her unborn child. To shorten that to me is completely wrong," Emery said.

Democratic Paul Levota said it sends the wrong message, and opposes the bill.

"Saying that women can't make their decision after 72 hours is ridiculous. It's a real bad bill for the women of Missouri, and real bad message the General Assembly is sending to the women around the state," LeVota said.

The bill passed the Senate on Monday, and will now go back to the House to see whether it will now go on to the Governer.